Though he only got in 11 holes before lightning sent the players off the Sun City course in South Africa, England's Luke Donald was ahead by two strokes after carding three birdies and an eagle in the opening round in the European Tour event.

Wales' Jamie Donaldson and Denmark's Thomas Bjorn were 3-under, with Donaldson finishing 12 holes and Bjorn six before play was halted.

"Lovely start," Donald said of his quick birdie-eagle beginning. "It doesn't get much better than three-three around here. Birdie, eagle and all of a sudden you are 3-under par through two holes. I played solid for those first 11 holes and hit a couple of very nice shots in that time that I was able to take advantage of."

Playing for the first time since wrapping up the 2013 European Tour money list in Dubai, Henrik Stenson was 1-under through seven holes.

Defending champion Martin Kaymer is at 2-under through six, while Charl Schwartzel, the winner of last week's Alfred Dunhill Championship, was at 1-under after eight, the same number as American Peter Uihlein, who'd finished seven holes.

The start of the first round was delayed for nearly three hours by a thunderstorm. The players were forced off a second time by late-afternoon bad weather. The first round in the 30-player event will resume Friday morning in advance of the start of the second round.